


Peace

by orphan_account



Category: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe - Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-05
Updated: 2016-09-05
Packaged: 2018-08-13 07:33:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7967989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ari and Dante have a conversation. Fluff.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Peace

Ari sighed and pulled Dante closer. For once Ari felt at peace, he felt happy. The happiness was like a physical glow in his chest, and he was so grateful he had allowed himself this. He felt Dante smile against his chest when Ari pulled him in and he cuddled closer, squeezing Ari's torso and burying his face in his neck. Their legs tangled together under the blankets in the bed of Ari's truck. It was so, so quiet. It was strange to think that just a week ago he'd realized his feelings, because holding Dante like this was the most natural thing in the world to him now. He snuck his hand under Dante's T-shirt and ran his hand up and down his back, feeling the muscles and soft skin.

"That feels nice," said Dante. His voice was sleepy and relaxed, but Ari could hear the smile in it. He pressed his lips to Dante's forehead.

"You falling asleep on me, Dante?" he joked, but he didn't mind. 

 Dante chuckled and moved his face up so he could kiss Ari's jaw. "I'm pretty sure I've been asleep for the past week."

Ari leaned back a bit and met Dante's eyes, "Why?"

"Because this feels like a dream. I never thought you'd l-" he broke off and shook his head, and then smiled softly. They both knew what he meant. The week since Ari had told Dante he had lied about his feelings had been the happiest week of their lives, but the conversation they'd had before still hung heavy between them. It broke Ari's heart to think of how angry Dante was with him that night, how close he had been to losing him forever. Without Dante, life wouldn't make any sense to him.

Ari moved his other hand up and ran it down Dante's beautiful face, traced his lips with his thumb. Dante swallowed and kissed the pad of his thumb. There was so much love in Ari's heart that he thought it was going to beat out his chest.

He took a deep breath to steady himself.

"Would you have -" The words seemed to stick in his throat, but he had to force them out. It hurt to say them and his voice shook. "I mean, if I hadn't kissed you. Would you have stopped being my friend?"

A sad looked came across Dante's face, making Ari regret his question already. Dante reached up and held Ari's hand, the one caressing his face, and shook his head. "I was just mad, and confused. I felt like... that night was different. You were acting different, and I couldn't understand why."

Ari nodded, remembering the bowling alley and how much fun they'd had. It was a night of laughter - and for Ari, freedom. It was the first time he'd let himself love Dante, and know he loved him. it was understandable that Dante was confused, because of all the time Ari'd rejected him before and how he'd acted. That night Ari couldn't keep his eyes off of him, sat closer to him. He laughed harder and talked more. Their fingers brushed when getting their drinks and his heart lurched. He stared at his lips when he talked, thinking about kissing him again and what it'd be like now. He loved him and it showed. 

Dante's voice shook him out of his memory, "I would never stop being your friend, Ari." he swallowed and took a deep breath. "I-I love you too much."

Ari froze. It wasn't the first time, of course, that Dante had said them. He knew Dante was in love with him. But it was the first time it was so direct. The first time like this. The words made his head spin slightly, he wanted to say them back but his brain forgot how to speak. Dante must have noticed because he froze too, probably worried he'd said too much again. Last time he'd told Ari he loved him Ari told him he shouldn't say such things. 

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't of said th-" 

He kissed his words away. Dante kissed him back, melting against him after a moment. Ari shifted and rolled Dante onto his back so their positions were reversed. His hand, still under the shirt, moved to Dante's waist and pressed him closer. Dante's hand moved to Ari's face before sliding into his curls. Dante's hand was always in his hair now. Ari kissed him deeply, trying to pour all of the love into the kiss. It was a long slow kiss, if they were any closer they'd be one person. Dante gasped as their lips parted for a moment and Ari slid his tongue into his mouth. Soft noises began to come from Dante as they kissed and Ari swallowed them all greedily. He pulled Dante's bottom lip between his teeth and tugged slightly before letting it go with a soft pop.

"Say it again," he whispered against Dante's swollen lips. He needed to say it, Ari knew. He knew he needed to hear it too. Dante opened his eyes and they looked at each other, the weight of the moment between them. A beautiful smile broke over Dante's face, and he brushed his lips against Ari's, still breathless from the kiss when he spoke again.

"I love you."

Ari smiled and Dante leaned up and captured his lips again. He closed his eyes and wrapped both his arms tightly around Dante as they moved onto their sides. Dante kept whispering _I love you_ between waves of kisses. They kissed for a long time, hours maybe he thought, until Dante pulled away suddenly and shifted under the blankets. 

"Sorry," he said, blushing pink, when he saw the confused look on Ari face. "I was uh, getting a little too... affected."

"What? Oh. _Oh_." Dante was hard. The thought made him nervous and thrilled him at the same time.

Dante laughed, "Yeah."

Ari laughed with him and took his hand, pulled him back to his chest like they'd been before. He felt what Dante meant, but he didn't mind. He was half hard himself, but he knew they weren't ready for that yet so they stayed like, talking and laughing, that until their bodies relaxed. After a while he felt Dante's breathing slow, and knew he was falling asleep. He gathered his courage.

"Hey, Dante?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you, too."

 

**Author's Note:**

> what happens after the last line is that dante cries and they kiss more.


End file.
